Broadway Star Hayden Tee to Raise Funds for Displaced Filipino Creative Workers

"Filipinos are one of the friendliest and most thoughtful people I know. I instantly warmed up to them when I landed in Manila. That's why it was sad when we were forced to cut our stay short." - Hayden Tee

Manila, Philippines - Broadway star Hayden Tee, who recently made his Philippine stage debut as the rude, authoritative Miss Trunchbull in the Royal Shakespeare Company's international touring company of Matilda The Musical, is helping raise funds for the displaced workers of the local theater community, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Co-hosted by Filipino-American actor Markus Mann, the fundraiser will stream live via Palabas Tayo's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel this Friday, 24 April 2020, at 7 p.m. Donations will be forwarded to Open House Fundraiser, which aims to raise at least P1 million to help 500 displaced creative workers. You may donate, via Ticket2Me, HERE.

"Filipinos are one of the friendliest and most thoughtful people I know. I instantly warmed up to them when I landed in Manila. That's why it was sad when we were forced to cut our stay short." Tee adds, "Everyone involved in the performing arts all over the world was robbed of their source of income because of the canceled shows. We are all in this together, so when Palabas Tayo reached out to me, I easily said 'sure.' I am just happy to do what I can to help out."

Due to the Philippine government-imposed enhanced community quarantine, Matilda The Musical was canceled a week after it opened at The Theatre at Solaire last month.

Tee is an acclaimed theater performer, makeup artist, and recording artist throughout New Zealand (his hometown), Australia, Asia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Besides playing Miss Trunchbull, Tee is also best known for his award-winning portrayal of Javert in the Australian, Broadway, West End, and Dubai productions of Cameron Mackintosh's Les Miserables. Tee's recordings, such as Hayden Tee, Generation whY?, and Face to Face, are available on iTunes.

Photo: Sean Sinclair @ Forespoke